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After two starting flights, 666 total entrants, and a roughly 11-hour final table, the 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Tunica Main Event has officially crowned a champion. Ryan Stevenson had a roller coaster of a final day but ultimately emerged victorious when he bested Norman McKeldin heads up to take down the title, the seat to the WSOP National Championship, and the $204,795 in first-place prize money. On his road to the title, Stevenson asserted his dominance at the table by eliminating players in sixth through second place before finally grabbing hold of the championship.

Not only was this event a success for the players participating, but also for the circuit stop itself. Last year this event pulled in a grand total of 647 runners and it was able to surpass that with 666 players ponying up the entrance fee to participate. The prize pool was just $1,000 shy of one million as it came in at $999,000.

WSOPC Harrah's Tunica Main Event Final Table

Seat

Player

Chips

1

Jerry Barlow

800,000

2

James Watkins

980,000

3

Michael Sanders

3,055,000

4

Ryan Stevenson

1,505,000

5

Jonathan Cary

460,000

6

Norman McKeldin

1,035,000

7

David Kruger

505,000

8

Andrew Rothfolk

4,575,000

9

Mark Maletic

400,000

Andrew Rothfolk began the final table as the chip leader but it was eventual champion Stevenson who came out firing. Stevenson's aggressive approach to the early stages of the final table proved to be remarkably successful as his stack kept growing and growing.

The first casualty of the final table was David Kruger. Kruger saw his tournament come to an end when he moved his short-stack all in holding . He was called by Rothfolk's and the flop came down . Kruger failed to improve on the subsequent streets and he was forced to settle for ninth place and a $19,161 payday.

Jerry Barlow found his demise a few hands later when he open-shipped his last 550,000 all in from middle position with . McKeldin looked him up with and was able to hold as the best hand, making certain that Barlow was the eighth-place finisher.

Mark Maletic was the next player to go. Maletic entered play as the short stack and made a fair point of doubling his short stack within the first two orbits without ever seeing a flop. Eventually, however, Maletic shipped all in for his last 545,000 from under the gun. Action folded all of the way around to table to McKeldin who announced a call. The rest of the table folded and the hands were tabled.

Showdown

Maletic:
McKeldin:

Maletic was in great shape to find a double up and it looked even better after the flop brought . Fourth street spelled disaster for Maletic, though, as it was the dreaded which gave McKeldin two pair and the lead in the hand. The finished the board, giving McKeldin a full house and sending Maletic to the rail in seventh place. Maletic took home $30,789 for his run.

The sixth-place finisher was James Watkins. His fall came when Stevenson opened with a raise from early position. Watkins three-bet out of his small blind and Stevenson replied by four-betting him all in. Watkins called for his tournament life with and was racing against Stevenson's . Stevenson found the lead with a pair of jacks on the flop and never looked back. Watkins, on the other hand, exited the tournament area and pocketed $39,790 in winnings.

Jonathan Cary also fell at the hands of Stevenson when he moved his short stack all in before the flop with . Stevenson woke up with and a run out of ensured that Cary would finish in fifth place.

During four-handed play, Stevenson and Michael Sanders engaged in a series of pots with each other. Most notably, Stevenson took a huge chunk of Sanders' stack when both players hit trip nines. Stevenson ended up out-kicking Sanders to take down the pot. He put the nail in Sanders' coffin when Sanders open shipped all in with . Stevenson called and tabled . Neither player paired on the board and Stevenson's ace-high was enough to put Sanders on the rail with fourth-place money in his pocket.

Three-handed play then proceeded to last a grueling four and a half hours with all three players trading the chip lead back and forth. During this time Stevenson found himself at extreme disadvantage with only around 800,000 in chips. By the end of the level, however, he was commanding the table once more with over 6.6 million. After an insane series of hands, it was Day 3 starting chip leader Rothfolk who was the next to exit. Rothfolk raised all in from the button for his last 2 million in chips and Stevenson called out of the small blind.

Rothfolk showed but was ultimately behind the of Stevenson. The dealer flipped over a board of and Rothfolk was eliminated in third place. He took home $92,947 in prize money.

After the behemoth of a three-handed session, heads up went by in a breeze. In fact, it only took one hand for Stevenson to clinch the title.

With the blinds at 70,000/140,000/20,000, McKeldin had the button and opened with a raise. Stevenson called out of the big blind and the flop brought . Stevenson tapped the table and passed the action to McKeldin.

"All in," said McKeldin. His all in was for 4.545 million.

"Why so much?" asked Stevenson before ultimately deciding to call.

McKeldin:
Stevenson:

Stevenson was ahead for now with his pair but any diamond, ace, or king would catapult McKeldin into the lead. The turn brought exactly that. The dropped down and the rail let out a collective gasp. Suddenly the tables were turned and it looked as if McKeldin would double up and heads up play would go on. The dealer tapped the table and dealt the river.

The !

McKeldin was eliminated in second place in a flash at the hands of Stevenson's two pair. He took home $126,723 for his efforts.

WSOPC Harrah's Tunica Final Table Payouts

Place

Player

Prize

1

Ryan Stevenson

$204,795

2

Norman McKeldin

$126,723

3

Andrew Rothfolk

$92,947

4

Michael Sanders

$69,121

5

Jonathan Cary

$52,098

6

James Watkins

$39,790

7

Mark Maletic

$30,789

8

Jerry Barlow

$24,136

9

David Kruger

$19,161

The team here at PokerNews extends its most sincere congratulations to Ryan Stevenson for conquering the field of 666 players to take down the title. That does it from Tunica, Mississippi. Make sure to stay tuned as we continue to provide the latest updates from the WSOP Circuit. Next stop: Las Vegas. Until then!

We're unsure of the prelfop action but the flop came . Ryan Stevenson checked over to McKeldin. McKeldin quickly announced that he was all in for 4.545 million.

"Why so much?" asked Stevenson.

He leaned back in his chair. "Alright, I call."

Stevenson showed and was ahead with a pair of tens again McKeldin's for two overs and a flush draw.

"Hold one time!" yelled Stevenson.

It seemed that he would not hold, as the fell on the turn giving McKeldin a pair of kings and the lead. Stevenson would need to re-suck on the river and he did exactly that as the drilled the felt, securing his victory of the 2013 WSOPC Harrah's Tunica Main Event.

McKeldin, on the other hand, will take home $126,723 for his runner-up finish.

Ryan Stevenson opened to 300,000 from the button and was called by Andrew Rothfolk from the big blind. The dealer fanned and both players checked to see the on the turn.

Rothfolk fired 430,000 and Stevenson stuck around. Fifth street was the and Rothfolk fired a smaller bet of 380,000. Stevenson called and Rothfolk showed for a pair of tens. Stevenson rolled over for queens and was able to take the pot with the better pair.

Andrew Rothfolk opened to 250,000 from the small blind. Ryan Stevenson three-bet all in for 2.385 million from the big blind and Rothfolk snapped him off.

Rothfolk:
Stevenson:

Stevenson was behind and needed help going to the flop. Fortunately for Stevenson, he found exactly the help he was looking for when the flop brought . Suddenly Rothfolk was behind and in need of help to score the knockout of Stevenson. The turn gave him a few more outs but the finished the board and ensured Stevenson would double.

Andrew Rothfolk had the button. He opened to 250,000 and was called by Ryan Stevenson from the small blind.

The flop was and both players tapped the table to see the turn. Fourth street brought the and Stevenson checked once more. Rothfolk fired 260,000 and Stevenson decided to stick around.

The river was the and Stevenson checked for a third time. Rothfolk slid out 725,000 and Stevenson snapped him off. Rothfolk tabled and Stevenson shook his head and shot his hand to the muck. Rothfolk now has about half of the chips in play with 6.7 million to Stevenson's 2.775 million.

We've reached the stage in the final table where the blinds have become so high that every decision is a crucial one. Players are taking their time before each decision and it's rare to see a hand take a flop. Those that do are usually won with a single bet.

Picking up with the action on a flop of , Norman McKeldin checked and Ryan Stevenson bet 325,000. McKeldin called and the river was the . McKeldin led for 1 million even and Stevenson called.

McKeldin rolled over the for queens full of eights and Stevenson mucked.

Soon after, Stevenson opened to 250,000 from the button and McKeldin open-shipped all in from the small blind. Stevenson tanked for well over two minutes before finally laying down face up. McKeldin showed and dragged in the pot.

After being a severe short stack, Ryan Stevenson has now regained the chip lead. We caught the tail end of this hand, but we do know that Norman McKeldin limped from the button and all three players saw a flop with action checked from Stevenson's big blind.

The flop read and all three players saw a turn of . After an unknown bet, Andrew Rothfolk got out of the way and the river brought the . Stevenson checked and McKeldin bet 1 million.

Stevenson tank-called and showed for the win. McKeldin mucked and Stevenson raked a large pot.

A short-stacked Ryan Stevenson was all in preflop for his tournament life against Andrew Rothfolk.

Rothfolk:
Stevenson:

The flop brought nothing for Stevenson as it fell . He paired up when the hit the turn and sealed the double up when the finished off the board. He's now sitting on about 2 million to Rothfolk's 4.95 million.

On a flop of , Andrew Rothfolk check-called a bet of 235,000 from Ryan Stevenson.

The turn was the and Rothfolk led for 290,000. Stevenson opted to flat call to see the fall on the river. Rothfolk moved 615,000 into the middle only to have Stevenson make it 1.3 million to go. Rothfolk tanked for about forty-five seconds before flinging in a call.

"King-high," lamented Stevenson.

Rothfolk showed and took down the pot. Stevenson is now at a mere 700,000 in chips.

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